Cover for toilet seat covers



July 25, 1939.

M. H. ROWE 2,167,587

COVER FOR TOILET SEAT COVERS Filed NOV. 1, 1937 grwcm tm Mao/e Har/w/c/r Rowe Patented July 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COVER FOR TOILET SEAT COVERS Application November 1,

6 Claims,

The present invention relates to improvements in covers for toilet seat covers. More particularly, it relates to readily detachable covers of flexible material designed to be fitted to the hinged imperforate member of a toilet seat assembly. 0

Prior to this invention all marketed flexible covers of this nature, insofar as I am aware, have consisted of a substantially oval sheet of clothhaving a draw-string passed through its edge in such manner that the ends of the string hange downwardly adjacent the toilet seat hinge or pivot structure to be tied together to hold the cloth cover in place. If the string is made long enough to substantially avoid the possibility of one of its ends being drawn into an inaccessible position, the intertied ends will dangle downwardly into the toilet bowl. In any event, the string knot and loose ends are rather unsightly. Moreover, the seat assembly hinge, often in rusty condition, is left exposed by the cloth cover.

It is the primary object of the present invention to avoid the above defects and disadvantages by providing a flexible cover that can be attached quickly and neatly to the toilet seat cover, and that has no visible appendages when assembled. Preferably my improved cover will be so shaped, or so equipped with a band at its open end, as to afl'ord concealment for the seat hinge structure.

It is also a major object of this invention to devise means for quickly and easily attaching a flexible cover to a toilet seat cover. Preferably, this means includes an elastic element for insuring a smooth and snug fit.

Another major object resides in the provision of a double-walled or bag type cover which completely conceals the seat cover. The advantages of such construction include not only a better appearance but also the incorporation of a comfortable back rest and the prevention of accumulation of moisture on the, lower side of the toilet seat cover. In the absence of an absorptive material 011 said lower side of the seat cover, water often gathers and trickles along the enameled surface as the result of flush-splashing or other causes.

It is a further important object of this invention to devise an improved form of single-walled flexible cover in which a completely concealed string isused in conjunction with snap-fastener means. Preferably, the string or the fastener means, and sometimes both, is longitudinally elastic.- The double-walled form, however, con- 1937, Serial No. 172,285

stitutes the preferred embodiment of my invention.

These and further objects of the present invention will clearly appear from a study of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and the appended claims. In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a toilet seat and cover assembly with a preferred embodiment of my invention attached to the seat cover.

Figure 2 is a face view of the embodiment of Figure 1, as seen when removed from the seat cover.

Figure 3 is a similar view of a modified form of the invention.

With continued reference to the drawing, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts, and with particular reference for the moment to Figure 1 only, the member 4 is a conventional toilet seat pivotally connected to thebowl structure (not shown) and to a conventional seat cover 5 by a hinge structure desig-- nated generally at 6. The parts are shown in the position of normal use, in which position the usual pivot pin 1 and its associated elements would be visible in the gap between seat andcover were it not for the concealment afforded by the improved flexible cover, described below.

Referring to both Figures 1 and 2, my improved cover comprises a flexible bag consisting essentially of two coincident walls 8 and 8 which may be woven or fabricated in a single piece but which, for convenience, preferably are separately formed to the shape of the two side surfaces of the seat cover and subsequently sewed or otherwise joined together at their edges. Obviously, however, the bottom edges are not joined and a portion of one side edge must be left open to permit the bag to be slipped over the seat cover. This side edge opening must extend from the open bottom to at least the widest par t'of the seat cover.

When the bag is pulled over the seat cover,

said side edge opening can be closed by any suit able means such as snap fasteners or the like but preferably it is closed in gapless fashion by two strips of hookless fasteners III, which can be interlocked and released by an operating element I2 in conventional manner. The two strips are individually stitched or otherwise secured to the free edges of the walls 8 and 9 respectively, and when interlocked serve to hold the bag in rather close fitting relationship to the seat cover. The The fasteners are of exaggerated size in the drawing for clarity of illustration. Much smaller fasteners are available and are substantially invisible when interlocked, particularly when the bag comprises a cloth, as most frequently used for this purpose, having a nap on its surface.

The bag may be given the same decorative appearance on both sides so that it is immaterial whether the hookless fasteners appear at one edge or the other of the seat cover; and preferably, the interior finish and design of the bag will be such that it may be reversed by turning it inside out, thus making it unnecessary to change covers frequently, and addingto the life of the bag.

The lower open edge of the cloth may be shaped to cover the hinge pin structure I but it is preferable to terminate it at the edge of the seat cover and utilize a separate band l3 for this purpose. The band I3 is usually of a harder finish than the cloth and forms a smooth and unwrinkled mouth which conceals the lower rough edge of the cloth. Preferably the band is elastic so that it will readily conform to the hinge structure to be concealed and will have a tendency to tighten the entire bag with respect to the seat cover. Where the bag is of reversible construction it may be desirable to use two coincident bands so that both interior and exterior will have a completely finished appearance. In order to get full benefit from the elasticity of the band, only the upper edge of the latter should be stitched to the fabric body. The hookless fastener strips extend to the bottom of the band.

A modified form, which is cheaper to manufacture than the embodiment just described but which has many advantages over the conventional single-walled cover, is shown in Figure 3. It comprises a sheet of fabric having sufiicient size and such shape that it may be manipulated to form a wall 15 having a turned or rolled over edge IS. The extremity of the edge is in turn folded over and stitched to form a horseshoeshaped channel, as shown. To this extent the cover is conventional.

An elongated cord l'l, preferably of round elastic material, is disposed within the channel and has its ends, which terminate in concealment within the lower ends of the channel, anchored to the fabric by a pair of pinch-clips I8 or in any other suitable manner. The cord thus holds the cloth cover generally to a desirably preformed shape and renders it easy to mount the cover upon the toilet seat cover.

A band l9, also preferably elastic, has one end attached to one edge of the fabric adjacent a pinch-clip l8, and is provided at its other end with a snap-fastener element 20 complemental to a fastener element 22 which is secured to the fabric adjacent the other pinch-clip. When the band is fastened by interlocking the elements 20 and 22, the clips l8 and the seat hinge structure are concealed, and the fabric cover is held snugly in position on the seat cover.

The wall l5, which is exposed when the seat cover is swung downwardly, has a smooth appearance and is not directly connected or attached to the clips I8 or the elements 20, 22. When the cord I1 is of elastic material, it must be stretched but slightly when the cover is completely assembled, so that said cord will not tend to exert too much pull on the clips l8 and yet will have suflicient tension to cause the cloth material to automatically shape itself smoothly and snugly to the seat cover.

The band is, when elastic, is of such length that it must be stretched somewhat to bring the snap fastener elements into engagement. There is thus a tendency for the band to maintain a position of hinge pin concealment and to hold the cloth in unrumpled and unwrinkled form. This band, if desired, may of course be arranged to completely encircle the lower end of the fabric body.

It will be appreciated and understood that various changes may be made in forms of the invention disclosed without departing from the scope of my invention. The embodiments shown, though preferred, are merely illustrative, and I wish to be restricted only by the limiting language of the appended claims- Having set forth my invention in accordance with the statutes, what I claim is:

1. A covering for a toilet seat cover comprising a substantially flat double walled bag having an open end intersected by a body opening along one edge of suillcient size to permit the bag to he slipped over the seat cover, said bag otherwise being fully closed, and means for conveniently closing said opening.

2. In the combination defined in claim 1, said opening comprising a narrow gap extending longitudinally of the bag in the lower part of said one edge thereof, and said closing means comprising hookless fasteners disposed along said gap.

3. A covering for a toilet seat cover comprising a substantially fiat double walled bag having an open end intersected by a body opening of sufllcient size to permit the bag to be slipped over the seat cover, and means for closing said opening including an elastic band encompassing said open end.

4. A covering for a toilet seat cover comprising a cloth bag of generally oval form when viewed in front elevation, an elastic band secured at one edge to the open end of the bag, an opening along one edge of the bag terminating at the ends of the band, and two strips of complemental hookless fasteners secured to the cloth adjacent said opening and to said ends of the band.

5. A covering for a toilet seat cover comprising two coincidental flat sheets of fabric having maximum width intermediate their ends and joined along their edges except at one end and on a line from a point at said end to a point adjacent the region of maximum width, and means for'readily opening and closing the device along said line.

.- 6-. A covering for a toilet seat cover comprising a reversible flat fabric bag finished inside and out, said bag being open only at one end and having a gap extending longitudinally along one edge from said end to a point intermediate the bag ends, and hookless fastening means for closing said gap.

MAUDE HARDWICK ROWE. 

